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Sunday, October 31, 2010

Probably one of the more interesting places to set the backdrop for a vintage fuck-film would have to be in a run-down mental hospital. Shaun Costello's, More Than Sisters takes full advantage of this very idea. Costello, the director of such porn classics as Dracula Exotica, That Lady From Rio, Fiona on Fire and of course, the incomparable Waterpower also takes on the role of John Bollinger, an unconfident guy with coke-bottle thick spectacles, whose very concerned for his wife, Susie Bollinger(Lynn Stevens). Susie seems to be flipping out because of an onslaught of sexually charged dreams. Leave it to Dr Allan Bannister (Jamie Gillis) to help rectify the situation with his own brand of medicine. This hospital , as you'd expect, isn't your average medical facility: The doctors fuck the nurses, the nurses straddle the patients, the patients suck off all of the above. No doubt, sexual healing is the best kind of "therapy".

Monday, October 25, 2010

For several years, I’ve been an admirer of adult film director Shaun Costello. Shaun is the talented creator of such 35 mm Porn classics as , More than Sisters, Hot Dreams, Midnight Desires and the film I’m about to review for you , Pandora’s Mirror – starring adult film legend Veronica Hart and the late-great Jamie Gillis. The strange thing is though, I never knew –up until a few years ago- that I was a fan of Costello’s work, because this mans name had never been attached to his productions. It was the year 2005 when a bootleg adult film company had exposed this. Costello was using numerous pseudonyms for his features - Warren Evans, Russ Carlson, Helmuth Richler, Nicholas Berland, to name a few – where he was able to maintain some degree of anonaminity. Now, thankfully, Costello’s films are receiving legitimate releases in the best possible quality –utilizing the only remaining masters- via the Denmark based company, Pink Flamingo Entertainment. More importantly though, all features are director approved, by Costello himself.

Shaun Costello’s, Pandora’s Mirror, was produced about 8 years after the debut of his, notorious, feature-film directorial debut of, Forced Entry – also available by Pink Flamingo. The best way I can describe the plot of Shaun Costello's, Pandora's Mirror is; imagine the most perverse, sexually graphic episode of Friday the 13th: The Series. Only subtract the horror part, and you have a good indication of what this film entails. I seriously was thinking that, at any point in the picture that Jack Marshak, owner of the mysterious, "Curious Goods" antique shop, would surprise unsuspecting guests by trickling, runny, grandpa loads on their cabesas. No, Jack, from Friday the 13th: The Series, is not here. but the lovely, Veronica Hart is...THANK GOD!

Adult films are rarely known for their potent narrative. The crossing of genres - Horror, action, science-fiction - in current porn is quite rare. Aside from the occasional Vivid production (which are mostly parodies), you don't see this too much – if so, it’s executed poorly. In the '70s and even the early '80s , their were many prime examples. One early example of a film that truly crosses two genres, is Shaun Costello's (Midnight Desires, Hot Dreams, Passions Of Carol, Pandora's Mirror and the amazing, Waterpower). Forced Entry - starring Costello's friend at the time, and porn legend, Harry Reems (Deep Throat, Devil in Miss Jones).

Forced Entry, has some interesting history behind it. This film is essentially one of the first - if not the first - features to combine graphic violence with hard-core sex. Forced Entry tells the depressing story of Vietnam veteran (Harry Reems, in an exceptionally skuzzy role), traumatized by flash-backs of his tumultuous tour-of-duty. This certainly doesn't help with the fact that he is also a psychotic and hates woman. His tools of destruction are a gun, a very large blade and his penis. This movie is not an easy watch. It's hardly comparable to Grandmothers Lust or some random Bukkakke offering – it’s just a different type of disturbing. Forced Entry was shot on 16 mm, around 1972-1973 in one day; and is known as one of Costello's most famous "one day wonders". The editing and the insertion of horrific Vietnam war stock footage gives Forced Entry such an authenticism it's hard to erase it from your mind. Forced Entry is gritty, grimy and startlingly voyeuristic in its presentation. You can literally smell what’s on the screen. It has an intensity and realism that will knock - similar films with higher budgets and longer shooting schedules - on their ass.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

You’ve seen it; we’ve all seen it. (Well at least those of us enough huevos to admit it.) You’re at the local video store and greeting your line of vision is the back room door, it’s seclusion promising you sights that may tantalize you, turn you on, or even scare the living bejeesuz out of you. What carnal delights await you in the 18+ video room?

Well unless you have time traveling powers or an exceptional video store, you will be greeted with scores of generic faces and bodies being pried open and splattered with semen. Worst of all is that none of these porn clones have the decency to even look like they are into it. At all. It’s like getting psyched up for a blind date with an exotic stranger and being greeted by your old Science teacher naked and with a dingus up his butt. Gross, wrong, and ultimately disappointing.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Yep, this shit is real. It seems like nowadays porn companies will parody anything. Edward Penishands, Lawrence of a Labia, Womb Raider, Little Shop of Whores are just a few elaborate titles the porn industry has churned out. The Da Vinci Load is another spoof given the XXX treatment. The title had me laughing pretty hard, but the plot synopsis made it even better; "Operative of the Priory of Semen discover that Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa....using his own semen. These keepers of the truth fuck in the name of art and kill anyone who gets in their way". Invite your friends over and make sure alcohol is present for additional hilarity.